Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-30
| III.

She came. Her coming was pleasant,
and awoke in my mind sundry pretty
images such as poets deal in. l thought
of the sweet breathed spring chasing
mild winter from the land of the dawn
working its way softly into the dark
ness. All the loud elements were
hushed and the imps of misrule exor-
cised. The play of domestic forces
became scientific and rhythmical, and
once again the house went as by clock
work, and l went with it.
Under the old regime there was the
fine ant that is born of experience I'M
art was welded to a perfect science.
Christine-I always thought of her by
that name-was a born commander in
petticoats. am inclined to the belief
that there are more such in petticoats
than in frock coats. j would not have
it inferred that she commanded me,
her master. On the contrary, her
wishes were so evidently the fruit of
wisdom that i but fattered my own
Judgment in following them. fol-
lowed them nearly always; everybody
did the same at Urochs Chace. BY the
same token, Urochs Chace was temple
Of sweet reason, of cool sanity.
1t was in March when Mrs. Cam
pion-I had no right, / often told my
self, to think of her by the fascinating
familiarity of Christine. AS | was
about to say, she came in March, and
by June she had made herself as ne
cessary to me as | was to the Chace.
She presided over the establishment
with grace and tact that left nothing
to be desired she received my friends
and visitors, answered all begging let
tiers; Overcame her fear of my bees
cultivated my MOSES; kept everything
in ship shape, and that with an ire
proachable manner and an inimitable
grace.
Poetry, if it is worth reading at all,
should be read aloud by second per-
son for as there is color in it for the
eye, so also there is music in it for the
ear. My housekeeper read poetry to
me whenever asked her and a more
critical test of her intelligence and
Judgment could not have been devised.
But she seemed superior to every test.
Is it any wonder, gentle reader, that l
thought Christine Campion the best
housekeeper in the country? Forget
not that was confirmed old bachelor,
with not the very smallest hankering
for matrimOny.
1t was glorious day toward the end
of June. had set out for long ride
in the saddle, but came back sooner
than / expected, finding the sun too
hot to be enjoyable. Passing into the
library whom should l see upon the
lawn but my friend Sir Giles. He had
been away in the south of France for
several months and had not seen my
inestimable housekeeper. l knew that
he would, SO to speak, dance to my
piping of her praise.
With Sir Giles was a young lady, to
rue stranger. Shy of strange ladies'
did not go out, but stood and looked
at them. They were chatting and
laughing in merry way. The lady
was arrayed in delicate blue-and-gold
tea-gown, and wore large garden hat.
Bhthe and debonair she looked the
prettiest ornament imaginable for a
gentleman's lawn. / was so thinking
when the sound of her voice, borne on
the light breeze, came in through the
open glass doors.
"Good heavens !" l cried, with an
involuntary start. :" is it possible p
went 10 drawer, and, getting ont
powerful field-glass, brought it to
bear upon the lady. Yes, it was--my
housekeeperl She seemed to stand in
front OF me, and for the first time l ex-
amined her critically. How close her
face was 10 me ! i saw the dainty
dimple in her chin the merry humor
in her eyes; the beautifully curved jaw
line as she turned her head; her lips,
than which Diana's were not more
smooth and rubious. Thirty-one or
twol Iwonld have bet a thousand
pounds she had not turned her twenty
fifth year. What dim-eyed donkey
bad betnl / examined her hair--gone
was every trace OF grayness, and tho
antique tortoise-shell combs aud the
! quaint style OF couture that had hidden